Tips to Keep Your Party Costs Low

I was just reviewing my schedule for February and realized that we have four big celebrations happening next month. Here's the lineup:

Gumbo and muffulettas feed a crowd for Mardi GrasSuper Bowl- February 1

Valentine's Day- February 14

Academy Awards- February 22

Mardi Gras- February 24

Most of us NEED a little fun and some good news right now so pick your party theme and call your friends! It's more important than ever to come up with inexpensive ideas for entertaining so you don't have to forego the festivities just because money is tight. Here are some tips for keeping party costs low:

1. Don't hesitate to ask everyone to bring something to help with the expense--- it is perfectly OK and most are happy to help. Guests can bring beverages if they don't cook.

2. Use what you have to cut decorating expense. For example, I am digging out some red holiday ornaments to use for Valentine's decorations and gold garland and candles for a Mardi Gras party.

3. Serving a signature cocktail rather than having an open bar looks festive and will save some dollars. You should be able to squeeze 20+ drinks (depending on recipe and serving size) from one large bottle of vodka.

4. Instead of lavish decorations, take a page from the party professional's playbook. Caterers and party designers use food and beverages as decorations whenever possible. For example, set up a row or tray of glasses on the bar and fill them with a colored signature cocktail. Light the glasses by using a tiny LED light--- it will make the color pop.

Need more party ideas? My Mardi Gras party is up--- check out the slideshow. V-day and Oscar party ideas coming soon!

Engagement Parties and Bridal Shower Ideas: Throw a Breakfast at Tiffany's Party

Today was the Breakfast at Bromberg's wedding planning event in Birmingham. What a fun party! Bromberg's is to the South what Tiffany & Company is to New York; generations of area brides have trusted Bromberg's for their wedding rings and bridal registries. Since I am Bromberg's wedding expert, I was on hand to participate in all of the festivities. 

The party was a spin on the classic film Breakfast at Tiffany's. Brides-to-be enjoyed a yummy breakfast buffet among the diamonds and dishes as they met with area wedding professionals to get wedding planning ideas and information. Attendees dressed like the legendary Audrey Hepburn character Holly Golightly had a chance to win a strand of cultured pearls and all of the brides got gifts and won prizes, too. It was tons of girlie dress-up fun for everyone and a unique party theme for an engagement party, bridal shower or your next girl's night party. Have guests dress up in their favorite little black dress and strands of pearls as you watch the movie, drink champagne or martinis and blow off all of your wedding planning stress. Check out the fun in the photo gallery and get ideas for your own Breakfast at Tiffany's party! 

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Update on Thursday, February 26, 2009 at 8:18PM by Martie Duncan

So many people have asked for more ideas for a Breakfast at Tiffany shower! Here are a few other suggestions: Serve mini cakes for each guest in Tiffany blue with the signature white bow. (Cake by The Cake Girls Chicago) Send Tiffany blue box invitations from Fine Stationery to let your guests know what the party is all about. Be sure to give instructions if guests are to dress like a character from the movie, like we did for our party. Here are more party pics:    

Easy Entertaining: Endive Leaves with Herbed Goat Cheese

Need an idea for an easy appetizer for Thanksgiving or your holiday parties? Try this one--- it is so simple to make and everyone always asks for the recipe. You can use this base recipe of goat cheese and cream cheese for so many things. You can use your favorite herbs or flavors along wtih chicken, shrimp or salmon for example. You can omit the herbs and make it sweet by adding chocolate. There are just so many variations and possibilities with this recipe, you will want to put it in your go-to file any time guests pop over.

ENDIVE LEAVES WITH HERBED GOAT CHEESE SPREAD

Endive is a leaf vegetable in the lettuce family. If you can’t find it, you can substitute another lettuce or almost any other vegetable. The goat cheese spread can be spread on toasted bread or served with crackers. It is an easy, go-to appetizer recipe for almost any occasion and looks really festive on the endive leaves.

Two or three heads endive

6 ounces (3/4 cup) goat cheese, softened

2 ounces (1/4 cup) cream cheese, softened

2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

1 tablespoon fresh chives, finely chopped

1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped

2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together (except the endive) with a fork, stirring until fluffy. Spread on the base of the endive leaves, crackers, celery or almost anything else. Yum.

Last Minute Halloween Decorating

It seems to me as if we've been celebrating Halloween for quite a while now since we've been talking about it for so long. Well, the big day is finally here and we're getting everything ready to greet the kids stopping by my fabulous friend and photographer Arden's house.

We've pulled together a quickie Halloween party table complete with easy decorations, creeeeepy chocolate gummy worm cupcakes, eyeball punch, and lots of treats for the kiddies. If you still have to decorate for tonight--- here's the easiest solution for a centerpiece or front porch decoration. It's a plastic version of our Pumpkin People that so many of you commented on but there's no carving and no mess. Simply take three of the plastic Halloween pumpkins you buy for trick or treating. They have them everywhere. I got these at Walgreen's for only 29 cents each! Before you stack them, pop in a flameless votive, mini flashlight, or a tiny round LED like I used. They will light up the centerpiece from inside. The pumpkins have a rim on the bottom so they stack easily, but I secured them with a little double stick tape. Now simply dress or accesorize your people with a hat, scarf of spider webs, or anything else you might have around. This centerpiece cost less than $4 and all of the kids love it! I took all of these pictures with my iPhone as we went along so we could rush them to the blog in time for you to have them today for your party tonight! Happy Halloween!

Gourd Flower Vases

G Gourd vases for Fall decorating are so pretty and so super easy! When I say easy, you know I mean it because I don't like complicated projects.

Here's all you have to do:

Cut the gourd at the top to create the neck of the vase. Use your knife to cut an X deep into the flesh of the gourd.

Then use a large spoon to scoop out the inside of the gourd. Make sure to get it as clean as you can but don't pierce the skin or your vase will leak. It might leak anyway so be sure to place it on a dish just in case.

The alternative is to put a zip top bag into the gourd once you have hollowed it, making sure to fold 2" of the bag over the top. Secure with a rubber band. Fill the bag with water. Arrange your flowers. Pust the bag and the rubber band up so it is hidden beneath the flowers.

Once you have the gourd completely hollowed out, add water and flowers of your choice. I used goldenrod from the yard and then added thistle, mums and roses. It only took about 20 minutes and the result? You tell me what you think. My friends loved it.

Party on, ya'll.